Recent advances in audio and multimedia technology are inducing an evolution in vehicles toward a more comfortable and convenient environment capable of providing drivers with infortainment, and further providing both the drivers and passengers with high-quality audio and multimedia content while staying in the vehicles. Audio systems in today's vehicles are equipped with a driver information system, a navigation system, and a telematics system, which offer a variety of information as demanded by the drivers or the multimedia contents and sound.
In providing the sound and multimedia contents to the drivers and passengers, the use of amplifiers for amplifying audio signal and a speaker for outputting audio is essential. In an audio system (or audio, video & navigation (AVN) system), the main components for replaying the sound include a head unit embedded with a central processing unit (CPU) and a digital signal processor (DSP), an amplifier, and speakers installed around the vehicles. Here, under the control of the CPU, the DSP performs processing on audio signals inputted through an input terminal, and the amplifier amplifies the audios signals processed by the DSP to output the audio signals to each speaker.
Recently, various endeavors and studies are being conducted to achieve high quality sound output of the audio system. High-quality audio systems include external amplifiers to support a multi-channel, and thus to provide more refined and dynamic sound. The external amplifiers installed separately from the head unit are provided in luxurious vehicles for high quality sound. Recently, vehicle manufacturers receive high-quality external amplifiers supplied directly from external well-known brand amplifier makers and assemble them on the vehicles. The external amplifiers provided in the vehicles are based on a subwoofer 2-channel, a door speaker 4-channel, and an 8-channel output like midrange 2-channel, and can extend its channel capacity to a multi-channel such as 8-channel, 10-channel, and 12-channel.
However, for the installation of an external amplifier in a vehicle, a mounting space larger than the size of the amplifier has to be secured in the vehicle, a layout also has to be made with its installation structure, feasibility of installation, facility in assembling, stability, customer service, design all put into account, and the conditions between the amplifier and the head unit need to be strictly considered.
Even though space is secured for its installation, mounting brackets need to be designed according to the specifications of external brand amplifiers, and there follows a cost rise for development and molding according to the manufacture of mounted brackets. Also, there is a great deal of difficulty in installing the external amplifiers, and the man-hour, labor cost, and after-sales service (A/S) cost need to be considered. In addition, there is a limitation due to the surrounding vehicle parts.
Particularly, mutual influences with external electronic parts need to be considered when the head unit and the external amplifier are connected to each other through a wire. When the amplifier is mounted, designing is needed in consideration of the quality issues such as connection of a connector and its coupling force. For example, in vehicles with seats motor-operated in height and location, external amplifiers of which are installed under the seat, have a limitation in that the amplifiers and their auxiliary parts (such as wire) are interfered by other surrounding vehicle parts when the seats are moved (e.g. the amplifier becomes obstructed by the surrounding parts or its wiring becomes tangled).
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the disclosure, and therefore, it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.